3/27/2006

Let nobody say that the people who had this country first don't give back despite what we've done to them. In light of South Dakota's unconstitutional ban on abortion, the Oglala Sioux Tribe's President, Cecelia Fire Thunder, is proposing that an abortion clinic be opened on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation if the ban goes into effect. Even better, nothing can be done about that, as the concept of tribal sovereignty states that reservations are considered separate nations wholly within the borders of the country.

According to Fire Thunder,

“We’re working on it(.) This is a free-choice issue. If I were in that situation, I’d want somewhere to go where I’d be taken care of.”

South Dakota's Attorney General, Larry Long, declined to comment on the proposal, but stated that major crimes committed on reservations come under state jurisdiction if they are committed by non-Indians against non-Indians. Yes, that's right, according to this man, abortions are a "major crime". And this guy's attorney general of the state. Sheesh.

Fortunately, Fire Thunder is optomistic about the need to even establish a clinic. Her prediction, and this is supported by precedent, is that the law would be struck down by federal courts. If not, she has stated that she would "personally establish a Planned Parenthood Clinic on my own land." In fact, according to Fire Thunder,

"We want to have a viable option closer to home(.) Of course, in our culture, children are sacred, but women are sacred too, and somebody who has been victimized by rape or incest should have options.”

I can't help but thank her. And I know there are thousand, perhaps millions, of others who will thank her as well.